need help

[meatwhistle]

i just installed a 200amp alt in my yukon, now i have to run 2 runs of 1/0 from my alt to the batteries in the back.  i am new to electrical work, so bare with me

first you hook up the 2 runs of 1/0 to the alt right?

then run a 300 amp fuse @ the alt & @ the battery right?

now i have to ground those batteries, whats the best way to ground them?

[meade916]

i normally would tell people not to worry about fusing from the batt to alt but on a long run from front to rear especially 20+feet to the back of a Yukon i say fuse at the alt AND the battery (for daily).  This wont save your amps from blowing but mainly just for fire safety.  SPL only and on a non daily driven car is different..

Dont forget the basic big three as well.  I like to run lots of grounds from the alternator bracket to the front battery, a couple chassis points as well as one or two all the way to the back.  Once in back you then have a direct ground to the source, which when the car is running IS the alt bracket.  On top of that, in the back, i also put one or two directly from (your rear batt) to the chassis. 

[meatwhistle]

hey Steve, i'm tryin to follow what your sayin, but do i ground my batteries in the back to the frame in teh rear or run it to the alt bracket?

[David]

hey Steve, i'm tryin to follow what your sayin, but do i ground my batteries in the back to the frame in teh rear or run it to the alt bracket?

both

[meade916]

^^^what he said.  I mean some might say its overkill and it might be.....but when it comes to car audio i like overkill.  ;D Hell just upgrading your stock system to something real nice is overkill in some peoples minds.  ;D

"why do that, this am/fm that came with the car works great!" lmao

[dmz2711]

Alright guys, i've been trying to follow along on what you all are sayin, but its kinda confusing. I do alot better with visuals so i will use the navigator that Meade built for an example. meatwhistle i'm not trying to steal your thread, just trying to understand.

I see that he has 2 sets of wires running from the engine compartment to the rear, which is (2) power, and (2) ground. But where do they come from?? I've been looking at the build pics and it looks like one ground is coming from the alternator bracket, and one from the engine battery, is that right? Also, where do the power wires originate from? it looks like they go directly from the alt to the rear batteries??? I know that the navi doesn't have extra batts in the back, but from what i understand when i add extra batteries, i need to ground them to the chasis, and also the alt bracket is the best place to ground when a car is running, true? Meade, or David, can u PLEASE explain what's goin on in this engine compartment ???

I'm asking cause i am going to need multiple runs or 1/0 gauge wire for my setup as well as extra batteries, and i know you guys know how to do it the correct way! thanks

[David]

yes While the Engine is running The Alt casing is the best ground in the vehicle.

[glow=red,2,300]POWER WIRES[/glow]

both power wires running to the back come off a fuse block.

the fuse block is powered by one of the wires coming from the battery, the other wire comming off the battery is going to the alternator.

GROUND WIRES

One ground wire is coming off the alternator bracket and heads to the battery.

One ground wire comes off the battery and is grounded to the chassis of the vehicle

2 ground wires comes off the alt bracket and heads to the rear of the vehicle.

look at this pic it gives you a better look at how the wires run.

http://www.stevemeadedesigns.com/gallery/a...vi/DSC04678.jpg

In the rear of the vehicle Steve used distrobution blocks on the power and grounds on the ground distro block he added another ground wire to the chassis

In your situation, with having a batteries in the rear and up front you would wire it up like Steve described  in the above post.

Hope that helps you understand it abit better.

[dmz2711]

awsome, you do not know how much i appreciate you explaining that to me. It was bugging me to death. Is that the same way as meades tahoe is setup?? how is that wired up (i think he runs more wires, cause of the amount of wattage) ???

I'm going to have a total of 3 batts. ONe in the engine, 2 in back. Do i need to fuse the power wire in between the batteries in the rear? or just fuse the power wires coming off the rear batts to the amps? again i was trying to use meades tahoe as an example, but i don't understand what he does...

Also, are the wires ran under the car because its easier, i've always ran them thru the firewall thru the inside of the car??

thanks again, david! i appreciate it

[dmz2711]

Alright guys, i hope you don't mind me askin, but i drew a quick sketch of how i think, from what i read on the forum of how to run multiple wires, and multiple batteries. I think i did everything right, but am i suppose to fuse between the batteries, and right before the battery from the runs of wire from the alt and engine battery? Does it matter which power wires go to which battery in the rear? or are they all equal cause they are in a circuit? ground as well?

[meade916]

looks good man........thats exactly how.  I also like to put one from the alt bracket to the chassis up front too.

Now if this is for a daily beater then yes the fuses look like your doing it right but if its PURE SPL only burping.....then some say lose the fuses.